Explore KSACs by Pathway

In late 2025, the Partnership pulled together members of industry from across tech to share how the in-demand skillsets for entry-level roles in their fields have changed in the last two years. The Knowledge, Skills & Abilities and Credentials (KSACs) below reflect their feedback on entry-level expectations, especially in a tech workplace increasingly shaped by AI.

Previously two separate KSA lists, Data Management and Analytics have been combined as of 2026. This is in direct response to feedback from members of industry, who shared that with the onset of generative AI, most entry-level data roles will require literacy in skillsets across both of these two specializations.

2. Data Storage, Platforms, Operations, and Access

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Label KSAC Description Bloom's Taxonomy Level
a Explain the role of data storage systems in organizational decision-making knowledge 1
b Define key storage concepts including databases, data lakes, data warehouses, and lakehouses knowledge 2
c Differentiate structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data storage knowledge 3
d Describe on-premises, cloud, and multi-cloud environments and their use cases knowledge 2
e Explain how cloud platforms separate storage and compute and the implications of this separation for scalability, cost control, and analytics performance knowledge 3
f Describe how data architecture affects analytics performance knowledge 2
g Identify common DBMS platforms and their roles knowledge 2
h Explain database performance considerations and tuning concept knowledge 2
i Demonstrate the ability to access data using SQL or similar query interfaces to retrieve, filter, and aggregate data skill 3
j Modify and refine AI-generated queries for correctness, efficiency, and alignment with business logic skill 3
k Identify inefficient, incorrect, or risky query patterns produced by automation, such as unnecessary scans or unintended joins ability 4

Credentials

Vendor Certifications - DBMS

  1. Oracle Associate
  2. Microsoft
  3. IBM

Vendor Certifications - Cloud

  1. AWS
  2. Oracle
  3. Microsoft

Vendor Certifications - Tools

  1. Tableau
  2. SAS

Others

  1. DAMA CDMP
  2. DataCamp Certificate